Kansas City Royals History: Ewing Kauffman Passes Away
Ewing Kauffman owned the Kansas City Royals from the the moment the franchise started until his day in 1993, when he succumbed to the ravages of bone cancer.
Even before the Kansas City Royals, professional baseball existed in Kansas City in one form or another. The Monarchs were one of the premier teams in the Negro Leagues, a storied franchise that many of the greatest players in the history of the league called home. Kansas City was also home to the Athletics, which was somewhat a major league franchise, although it operated more as a feeder team for the New York Yankees.
After the departure of the Athletics, Ewing Kauffman became a driving force in attempting to get baseball back into town. He was the first owner of the Royals, an expansion franchise that began play in 1969. The Royals quickly became one of the top teams in baseball, a perennial playoff contender from the mid 1970s until 1985, when the team finally won the World Series.
While the Royals remained in contention for a time after that year, they were never able to return to the postseason. Meanwhile, Kauffman had been diagnosed with bone cancer, leading to his desire to bring in another title. He spent lavishly on free agents, but that second title never came. On this day in 1993, Kauffman passed away at 76 years old.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
In his stead, he left behind a team that had been, in many ways, ahead of its time. the Royals Baseball Academy, where the team brought in excellent athletes and taught them how to play baseball while providing a college education. Players like Frank White and U.L. Washington came from the academy, giving the Royals a pair of solid players for years to come. Although it was shut down in 1975, the idea lives on with the baseball academies throughout Latin America.
Kauffman also built a model franchise. While the manager changed frequently, the front office was quite stable. Smart trades and prudent signings led to a dominant ballclub, one whose echoes can be felt even three or four decades later.
Next: Astros quiet at trade deadline
A billionaire due to his pharmaceutical company, Ewing Kauffman was the driving force behind the Kansas City Royals success. On this day in 1993, he passed away, leaving behind quite the legacy in baseball.